BP Chats

Dan, with great respect, I confess that I though ill of the White Sox in 1997. They had spent a fortune on bringing Albert Belle to the team - a guy who's behaviour made him hard to cheer for no matter how well he hit, then traded two of their star pitchers at the trading deadline (Wilson Alvarez and Roberto Hernandez) when they seemingly still had a chance at the division. Can you give us some explanatory background to these doings?(hotstatrat from Canada)

That was an organizational decision, and it paid dividends in 2000 when the team, bolstered by the trade you mentioned (six or seven players in return from the Giants), won the Central Division title, as Foulke and Howry got a lot of our key outs in the final stages of games. (Dan Evans)

Jay, who are the pitchers coming onto the ballot next year? I've heard that there's going to be a wave which will cut into Blyleven's vote count. Is that true?
Also, do you see the Vets Committee enshrining Lou and Tram after Tram drops off the ballot (this seems, rather unfortunately, inevitible).(David from Huntersville NC)